Troubleshooting A Draw-Tite Activator IV Trailer Brake Controller That Won't Sense The Trailer
Updated 10/09/2024 | Published 10/08/2024
Products Featured in This Question
Question:
I have a Nilight 7 Way Blade Trailer Connector Tester and I hooked it up to my 7-pin trailer connector kit and Brakeman IV brake controller, both from e-trailer, after installing it. When I press the brake I get a dot on the brake controller screen. I understand this means it doesnt sense a trailer. And no voltage shows up to light up the BK LED light on the tester. So it is true I didnt have a trailer connected, just the tester. Is this normal? Seems a bit weird for a tester that is supposed to test a 7-pin connector wouldnt have something built-in to simulate a trailer. It has an LED in that spot, so youd think it must work for at least some brake controllers. The other two possibilities is the tester is faulty, or theres a fault somewhere in the wire coming back from the controller to the connector. The latter is highly unlikely ... but ...
asked by: Phil L
Expert Reply:
Hey Phil,
Are you hitting the manual override when you're testing the output of your Draw-Tite Activator IV Trailer Brake Controller # 5504 or are you just hitting the brake pedal? Is the decimal point always on the display or only while you're pressing down on the brake pedal. If you are seeing the decimal point all the time then you have the red wire from the brake controller harness spliced into the wrong wire for the sold side of the brake light switch.
LED lights don't really have a large enough amperage draw to be detected, which is a giant pain with some newer vehicles when you're towing a trailer with LED tail lights. That being said, if you used the manual override on the brake controller the light on the tester for the brake controller output should still light up. If it's not then we know you have some kind of disconnect or short in your wiring.
Let me know what you find and we can keep troubleshooting.
Phil L.
10/8/2024
Well ... I didn't test if ANY voltage was coming out, but I had the manual lever maxed out and it registered 10 on the screen but no light lit up. Again the left and right tail light indicators did come on.
Phil L.
10/8/2024
It was just the brake pedal. Just tried the manual override. As with the brake pedal, it DOES light up the left and right brake lights, but no signal to the blue-wire brake controller pin. Hmmmm....